burlapp car

The future is now.

By  •  Published:  •  Last updated:


Finally…

Conversation 22 comments

  2. IMO, the Nissan Leaf is better then both… Purely electric, 0 emissions (unlike the Volt which has a gasoline powered engine that "powers" an electric one and emits 1.3g/km which is worse then the Jetta TDI, 4-cylinder Accord, CRZ, Insight, and of course, the Prius and Leaf). And the Nissan has a range of 100miles… again, all-electric…

    but Motor Trend and Automobile Mag picks the 40k Volt (a car that's not even available yet) as its Car Of The Year, and the Volt gets the Green Car Of The Year award in LA this week…

    I suppose 4 years of endless marketing helped a bit. It is getting a lot of undeserved hype. The Leaf is cheaper, all-electric, 100mi range, and has 0 emissions, WTF is the point of the volt again?

  4. Also the Leaf seats four passengers doesn't it? I can't beleive the Volt won car of the year after three years of false advertisment. Motortrend thinks GM deserved that award?

  5. They are both great cars (not the Toyota). The Leaf has simpler (and most likely, more reliable technology), but the Volt is more practical every day. I have sat in the Leaf and looked on to the Volt, and they both have roomy, 4 seating interiors. I might consider the Volt for my next vehicle. (I just wouldn't be able to survive on the Leaf's 100 mile range).

    On a side note, this picture shows that no mater how much GM tried to make the Volt look like a sedan, it's really a hatch.

  6. They said the same thing about electric cars 80 years ago…There is nothing new about these worthless things.

  7. "They said the same thing about electric cars 80 years ago…There is nothing new about these worthless things."

    This time maybe GM means it this time.Unlike 20 years ago when they were in with the petrol companies and killed them off.
    none the less id take the Toyota anyday because like one of the previous posters commented that they are proven.

  8. I think I'll take Prius PLUG-IN… cheaper and proven

    You're kidding, right???

    GM's 1st mass-produced "alternative energy" car was an all-electric made in the late 1980's (EV-1). There have been fewer problemms on ALL of GM's "alternative energy" vehicles (over 25 years) than there have been reported on just the Prius–in the last 25 MONTHS alone! (And I'm including all the Diesel-electric Locomotives ever made by GM in those numbers!)

  9. How did the petrol companies kill them off? LOL!!! That is such an infantile view…Beyond just wrong.

    Maybe it was cost and motoring distance so the consumer killed them off….This is the adult view.

  10. Anonymous said…

    "You're kidding, right???

    GM's 1st mass-produced "alternative energy" car was an all-electric made in the late 1980's (EV-1). There have been fewer problemms on ALL of GM's "alternative energy" vehicles (over 25 years) than there have been reported on just the Prius–in the last 25 MONTHS alone! (And I'm including all the Diesel-electric Locomotives ever made by GM in those numbers!)

    November 21, 2010 10:50 AM"

    Then why was it so hard for GM to bring the Volt to market? The concept debut in 07, and it's now almost 2011 (4 years later) and they couldn't even manage to make it all-electric with great range and zero emissions… Just because they dabbled in this area for a bit in the 80's and 90's doesn't mean a thing! Their R&D dollars were obviously where most of there business comes from – trucks and SUVS… and Lutz won't admit it, but the Prius (not Tesla) was the inspiration for making the Volt, that even without a gas tax to force people into smaller cars, you can still make a "greener" car and make a profit.

    Take this (Volt) and multiply it's importance to GM and the buying public by 10 and you have the impact that the Prius has had on the world, and the automotive community. This is sort of like the BCS rankings where, it is great that GM is **FINALLY** doing this now, but a win for them is an even bigger win for the higher-ups who did it right the first time around((cough, cough… Leaf, Prius, etc.))

  11. "This time maybe GM means it this time.Unlike 20 years ago when they were in with the petrol companies and killed them off.
    none the less id take the Toyota anyday because like one of the previous posters commented that they are proven."

    GM does mean it this time. They have no choice but to bring this and other great small efficient vehicles to market. The petrol companies didn't kill off earlier attempts made into the ev market. Market realities did…

    There is still not a very great "business" case for small fuel-efficient vehicles yet, or at least not for a few years. Even with all of the heavy federal subsidies it receives, green tech output globally is still 3x the demand, and without rising energy prices, or artificially via an energy tax, you can't convince people to buy something they feel they don't need. Also… it takes a long time to recoup the costs of an EV that a small gasoline-powered car makes more sense anyways.

  12. I'll take either – but I really like the Volt.

    While many people will wax about distance of EV's / cost / etc. Lets remember a few things here folks…..
    A) EV's (aka – the Volt) are in the beginning stage of their lives – they will become cheaper as time moves on – it'll be shocking how cheap they become (remeber, 5 years ago Plasma TV's cost $10K – you can pick them up now for $500.)

    B) EV's won't take over the world – the ranger extenders will be the norm moving forward; once they get cheaper / etc. Personally – I find it shocking (no pun) that all cars don't minimally offer the e-boost / start stop technology.

    People need to stop hating on the dev time for the Volt as well….they needed to get it right – and it was /is relatively new technology. As well, lets not forget they've gone through bankruptcy / 3 leaders / and one of the worst economic crisis on record…I'm ok that they wanted to take some time to get it right.

  13. Only the mental midgets who NEVER studied 400-level math, physics, and chemistry think these are valuable…One Word…THERMODYNAMICS…Learn It!

  14. I think these will do in the mean time until hydrogen is a viable option. The oil addicts still get their fix.

  15. "Only the mental midgets who NEVER studied 400-level math, physics, and chemistry think these are valuable…One Word…THERMODYNAMICS…Learn It!"

    November 22, 2010 1:03 AM

    Ohh big words. Ill bet this person works at McDonalds on minimum wage.

  17. "Why don't you Google the word Thermodynamics and learn for yourself…..To difficult for you?"

    November 22, 2010 1:17 PM

    Dont need to. We might as well listen to you try to rewrite the laws of physics.

  19. The Laws of Thermodynamics can’t be repealed, but we can live with them. Hybrid cars can and will be the mainstay of our automotive future.

  20. EDUCATED PROJECT??
    -Heavy on the "Project"
    -a bit lite on the "educated"

    Then why was it so hard for GM to bring the Volt to market?

    There wasn't (and still isn't) any good business case for it.

    The VOLT was developed with Tax Money from the US & Europe alike. The Japanes Government was quicker to throw public money at Toyota & Honda so they were quicker to spend it that way. (which also helps explain why Japan's standard of living is consistantly below the USA's)

    Now let's discuss "world impact" There IS a business case to be made for (Hybrid) Electric vehicles like TRAINS. Which is why GM INVENTED & Perfected the concept in the 1940's!!!!! And why most (private for-profit) railroads have run their empires on GM's innovations FOR THE LAST SIXTY YEARS!

    We have these cars here and now for one reason and one reason only: It's the politically correct trend for the moment.

    Someday I'm sure the technology will be there to make the whole concept practical. But not today.

    For now the Volt & Prius are just ungodly expensive status symbols for environmentals who are rich & egotistical enough to drive BMW's & HEMI 300's but feel that such machines would undermind their "humble naturalist" image at the Ivey League Club.

  21. The technology will NEVER "Be There" because storing electrons in a chemical is a stupid idea. Maybe Hydrogen cars are the future but only when nuclear power is available for cracking water…Thermodynamics, people…Learn it – otherwise you just make fools of yourselves.

  22. The governments in a majority of non US countries are wacking taxes on petrol here and there like theres no tomorrow. (carbon tax,etc) which unfortunately is forcing people to move to fuel sippers like these.
    Hopefully the US government goes easier on the US fuel taxes.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *